Watching Big Brother
by Fairia
Summary: My first Hellsing fan fic, detailing the Valentine Brothers and Luke growing to gigantic proportions. Hopefully I'll get the other chapters up since this is my first upload with multiple chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_ This story takes place in an alternate universe, outside of the Blood Brothers and Dead Zone episodes from the Hellsing Anime and Manga chapters. The Valentine Brothers, Hellsing, and its characters, etc. do not belong to me. Caution: Strong Language (from Jan)_

Watching Big Brother

Part 1

_Devious Plot_

"What is he doing here," Doc agitatedly cried. A lab assistant whispered something in his ear. "I know he's my nephew, but what is he doing here?"

He did not realize that his nephew, Luke Valentine, was in earshot as Doc ranted by his presence.

"You know, Doc," the blonde, suave vampire began. "It goes against my loyalty, but don't know you what you're trying to accomplish?"

He never really liked his "nephews"; being dumped with the responsibility of raising children irked him.

Doc already told Luke about his next scientific plot: to make giant ghouls and vampire soldiers in their plot to take over the human world in the name of their Nazi organization, The Millennium Group. He thought himself more intelligent than his nephew, and did not want to be shown up.

"Well, it shows what you know, Ja? This process would match with comrade Joleen's powers, yet it will be like candy to a baby for _your _brother."

Luke grew up learning from Doc about showing others up and being smarter than others. They both know deep down that they are better than anyone. Still, Luke was not fond of his uncle's idea. He was also not fond of being dragged down to the secret base of headquarters in South America just to be told a silly hypothesis.

"And did you also know that using someone as dangerous as Jan will become more disastrous than Godzilla destroying Tokyo?"

"Yes I do. And that is just the idea. He should be more useful than slacking off when plans are not being fulfilled."

"What is your plan, anyway?"

"By using your brother, we can make our first attack on the Hellsing Organization. And with his lust for blood and carnage heightened, those humans and even their vampire pet won't stand a chance."

In a huff, Luke stormed out of the lab, saying in return, "None of _us_ would stand a chance against him. Not even me and you better understand _that_, Doc, if you're so smart."

Relieved that Luke finally left, he went back to preparation, smirking and saying to himself, "Looks like it will work this time."

Luke did not care. He kept telling himself that after he returned to the dwelling he and his younger brother were staying at. Both brothers resided in an old manor home owned by Millennium that served as the brother's base of operations after they were done with school in London and after Luke graduated college. The Hellsing attack was approved by their short, stout and elusive leader, The Major, and requested that the siblings leave in two days for England. Jan Valentine would then be given the chance to proof himself a faithful member and clear Hellsing out of existence as a giant beast on the onslaught of war.

Luke still did not care. He told himself that while immersing himself in a novel once read in college, but it didn't settle his thoughts. In reality, he had an inkling that everything that Doc was planning will go down in flames before the Great Battle, as Millennium called it in English, would begin. Jan becoming gigantic would not make the situation any better. It was not a sense of giving up that drove this assumption, but he knew what the other alternative was.

He could remember back in his childhood of being plagued by nightmares of becoming enormous himself. His comrades shunning him, especially his brother, afraid for their lives. His childlike cries going unanswered, regardless of his uncle's sympathetic notions which were coldhearted and on deaf ears.

With a heavy thud in his sigh and book, Luke would have to face those deep demons for the good of Millennium. It was worth an embarrassed ego than seeing his little brother become an even bigger problem than normal.

_An Experience, A Dangerous Liaison_

Doc's plan was scheduled to begin in a week, so Luke was going to need some time to convince Jan about changing his mind before they leave. After Doc confided his plans to Luke, Jan, with his acute ability to overhear important things at precise moments, heard his older brother talking to their uncle. Jan couldn't wait to rub in his big brother's face that he was going to be the "big" brother from now on. For the brothers, it was like a tradition when things were going Jan's way, it was a childish joy to him to peeve his older brother off, showing him that Luke was not always better than him.

Luke went to his bedroom to try and think out loud, not wanting Jan to hear _or _see him at work. With his legs crossed on his ecru armchair, he posed the idea of using hundreds of undead soldiers all at once, making the attack swifter and quicker. Then he realized that the ghouls would only cover human targets than anything on a larger scale.

Thinking of another idea, his mind went to work on something else. That idea was not all that great he thought. He tried to work on a more brilliant and reasonable plan and kept thinking to himself that Jan would be too reckless to do the job to its end. His uncle would not get the best of either them.

His senses were working like crazy as his body turned warmer and his stomach tightened without warning, soon spreading through his body. The sensations began to expand and his body followed through. Luke realized, with little control he had left, that the immensity was literally expanding him, burdening his body and affecting his consciousness. He dropped to his knees as if it would make it stop; his head felt light and heavy at the same time.

Luke continued to shut his eyes tight, but he could feel himself continuing to grow, with his skin stretching and his muscles tightening and expanding every second to support a soon-to-be new found size. Pain coursed through his body as bones pushed and clicked his limbs to the limit. He knew his boyhood nightmare was coming to life. Inside his mind, he wanted to embrace this pain, wanted to get over it and embrace a sadomasochist side that yearned for a good temptation. Somehow, it was programmed into his mind. It was programmed into the Freak Chip. The desire burdening the pain, battling it out in the vampire's mind. He did not know how tall he was becoming, but his bedroom was some 8 feet in height and he surpassed that by a couple of feet on his knees.

With the situation getting worse, Jan was knocking on his door, calling, "Hey, bro! What the fuck are you doin' in there?"

Luke opened his eyes and turned to his door. It was not the fact that he was almost reaching 30 feet in height nor the smaller sized bedroom door that made him panic, but Jan knocking outside and waiting behind it that was.

"Not now, Jan!" Luke called ignoring the sound of his booming voice, thinking he still had an inside voice.

"Whoa! Okay. Don't get a hissy fit."

On his way down, Jan was too late to notice the bedroom door cracking and ready to explode by some enormous weight. He was able to be see what looked like a large sole of a shoe bearing down on him. He cried out and ran for the stairs, but the giant sole helped pushed him down the steps. He grabbed hold of the shoe's edges, frightened out of his mind that he would he crushed like a bug the second he would hit the front door.

With enough time to look down below, Jan unclasped his hands and leapt off the stairs to the floor below. He ripped the door open as the shoe hit him again, sending them both outside and ending Jan's wild ride by ramming against the stone fence that surrounded their house. Jan was like a victim in a car wreck, sprawled on the fence and moaning from the pain of the impact. Slowly supporting himself up, he adjusted his jaw with unsightly cracking sounds.

He turned around and saw what was the most off the wall site he saw in his life. From what it looked like, the house grew legs and arms. And strangely enough, they almost looked like Luke's: gloves, white attire and all.

"What the fuck!" Turning his heels to run, he thought of Doc, assuming it was his fault.

From inside the house, his brother howled, "Jan! Get back here!"

His feet skid to a halt, as he turned to look back. Is bro still in there he thought. Then it hit him: Luke was not only inside, but the limbs are also his.

Panicking, he ran across he lawn, screaming,"Oh Christ, he's gonna fuckin' kill me! Help! Help, hey, help here! HEEEEEELLLLLLLLPPP!"

Luke was left behind trying to lift himself up and out of the house surrounding him. Strange as it was, the foundation did not crumble or rose up with his constant struggle. Then Luke put his hands on the ground and proceeded to push himself up, but nothing moved. Knowing Jan was going to contact headquarters, he angrily thought to himself that killing Jan would be a good idea after all.

TO BE CONTINUED, PART 2


	2. Chapter 2

_ This story takes place in an alternate universe, outside of the Blood Brothers and Dead Zone episodes from the Hellsing Anime and Manga chapters. The Valentine Brothers, Hellsing, and its characters, etc. do not belong to me. Caution: Strong language (from Jan)_

Watching Big Brother

Part 2

_Just Cause _

Inside the large sector that enclosed Luke, it was lonely. The gleaming silver sector's main usage was as a storage locker for missiles and jeep vehicles, but made empty to contain the newly large vampire. The sector's 100 feet in length left enough legroom for Luke to stretch out his legs so that he would not always sit cross-legged. His head was a foot from the heavily lighted ceiling. A catwalk and staircase perched at his left side, opposite from a control room panel and its window case. Even though the ceiling lights shown above his head, it was dim by the end of the sector at his feet, a screen door only reaching the arch of his shoe heel.

Luke already knew what it would be like. His nightmares proved it. They might as well put me in a cage he bitterly thought, he felt like a monster, a stupid beast guarded so as not to harm the public. That image of a stupid beast made his large hands clench, especially the word "stupid". Right now, he only had time to reflect on the past that destroyed his future.

When Jan finally returned to the house, Doc and a group of Millennium soldiers trailed behind him. The soldiers stood guard for any sudden attacks as Jan trembled, pointing in the direction of the "monster" he saw earlier. Doc looked at his younger nephew with a look of astonishment at his own stupidity. Doc knew that the limbs hanging from the openings belonged to Luke; he then smiled conspiratorially. Jan stared in confusion at him, already baffled by what was going on.

Doc approached the house and called out to Luke. Inside, Doc was the last person Luke wanted to see after his brother ratted on him. The only thing he remembered hearing was Doc telling him that they were going to use him for the raid instead of Jan and leave immediately. For that reason, Luke refused a couple of times, saying he was not going to make a spectacle of himself, not as Jan would.

The soldiers slightly muffled outside and were set to open fire. Their guns poised and designed to pierce through buildings like missiles on hundreds of buildings. Doc gave him a warning to either surrender or perish as Hellsing conquest would go on without him. Once again, Luke faced frustration and now to a higher degree as he felt like a crab not used to its shell.

The tension triggered the earlier sensations once again as Luke was beginning to break out. He lowered his neck to accommodate the slow growth as it finally escalated, his weight growing heavier. Floors he sat on collapsed and crushed the lower level rooms, reenacting the climatic scene in _Carrie_, when the heroine's house was sucked into the ground, breaking and cracking everything inside.

Luke's limbs snaked their way out and his legs collided with the dozen or so soldiers that stood by there. Jan appeared in almost sobbing awe from behind the safety of the stone fence he laid on before, as Doc stood right in the middle of the disaster; no harm seemed to be in his way as if he was surveying the chaos from afar. He was the captain whose coat swayed by the breeze of dust and debris, his hands clenched as he wanted to fight his nephew's unintended carnage. Luke could tell all this was going on as his head made its way out of the roof and the walls were already gone. He let his knees stretch before he bent them high above the little people below. Luke was ready to attack if that was what Doc truly wanted from him. However, Luke was not able to manifest his attack as he heard a click inside his head and lost consciousness.

Luke knew that it was the Freak Chip that knocked him out. He was not conscious when his body toppled, crushing expendable soldiers with his left side alone. It was only then that when he felt his chest where the heart is normally located in a human that he could feel it beating, rhythmically to the feel of his excitement when he recounted what happened. He then stroked the right side of his head and could feel the stitches. For him, it felt like barbed wire and probably took as many to stitch. He remembered the first time the Freak Chip nestled there that turned him into a Freak Vampire.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a little image of Doc staring at him from the control room panel of headquarters. At Luke's eye level, he could look straight at him and express even more disgust at his uncle.

"You said you were going to use Jan! Why me!" His words expressed pain, but was overshadowed by his accentuated, higher decibel voice.

In the same huff that Luke learned, Doc calmly and sadistically answered from far away, "Well, I lied. I knew you proved a far better success when you were ten. Besides, how many adult sized ten-year-old boys do you know of, hhmmm?"

"You wanted to use me all along. Since it was so much easier to do so than starting fresh."

"My plan has been fresh since the beginning. At first, it seemed like a failure when you stopped showing further growth spurts after puberty. But, according to my files, you've had extra growth hormones inside of you, your stress level finally triggering the lost hope for my project. When your brother told me in a frightened manner, it was the perfect opportunity to transfer the GH from you unto the other freaks. You could say the GH in your body was like a. . . storage supply.

"And I already trust that you found out the chip is long gone. Now that you've become something else, I figured there was no point in keeping the Freak Chip in there any longer."

Luke learned that the truth could not get any worse; the truth was already devastating and became so.

"So that's what I've been this whole time," he scowled. "A monster waiting to be a lab rat."

Doc requited in a harsh tone, "You don't have a say in this. All I heard from you as a child was your inexcusable fears of, 'I don't want to become a giant! I don't want to turn into a monster!' Well, _you _are like everyone and everything else the day _you _and your brother became my responsibility after your godforsaken parents _left_ _you._ And you _will _do this for the good of Millennium, do you understand, _boy_?"

Luke only turned away, finally giving in to a lost argument.

"I'll take that as a yes." Doc walked away, the only sounds left were from his footsteps echoing behind the glass observation window and a door shutting in a lost soul's misery. It left Luke cold inside for some time, until, almost as invisible if viewed from a distance but wet to the cheeks, the warmth of tears streamed and escaped down Luke's face, fogging his glasses and everything in the world.

_A Brother's Ransom_

The testing began the next day. Doc took Luke's measurements; originally, Luke stood 6 feet, 3 inches tall, his blonde hair reached his hips around 4 feet. He now measured 60 feet in height as his hair was a staggering 38.7 feet exact in length. Luke underwent blood tests, neurological tests, his blood pressure was tested and his EKG heart rate measured. He went through psychological tests and monitoring of brain activity for any abnormal change in his sanity; he performed tests of physical strength by lifting the various assortment of heavy-duty weapons, jeeps and abandoned tanks picked up from over the years on the black market and transferred after World War II.

All the while, Doc transfused 10 pints worth of the growth hormones from Luke's plasma every two days, as that was how much Luke produced for enough pints needed. The Hellsing raid would now take place in 30 days instead of a week as Luke became stubborn and sometimes refused the transfusions and left the compound a few miles away to get away from the outdoor training. Even though Luke now belonged to Millennium as a weapon, he tried to stand on his own as if he was a normal sized man among a land of insane toys.

At the same time and for 20 days after, Luke saw none of the members of Millennium or the Major; his only contacts came from Doc and two lab assistants for routine testing and GH transfusions. He did not see or hear from Jan at all during those days. He wondered what he was doing then. How did he take the situation? Was he angry that Luke became gigantic instead of him? He would not admit it, but his brother's well being nagged at his thoughts. A true pain that Jan was at times, it was his juvenile humor that always made him laugh. Luke admired the spark Jan possessed in himself that he lacked outside of his cunningness and intelligence. Jan's wild nature that made life less boring was an important balance as much as Luke's sense of control and responsibility was in their lives. Their sense of duo ship Luke knew was true.

One day, after Doc finished the day's testing and then motioned for his one assistant that day to follow him out; the lights went out in the control room where Doc finished last minute details of the experiments. Luke tried to shift his body into a lying down position. The sector provided little space for him to make himself comfortable; he couldn't stand getting comfortable by sleeping against the wall for some nights on end. This was his second try as he finally laid down and rested his head on his arm.

Cold steps approached the catwalk's doorway. Slowly the door opened and the slight creaking perked Luke's ears. He thought it was another lab crony of Doc's making a late night status check, one of Doc's paranoid habits because he believed that his test subjects might "suddenly" disappear. Luke knew he was not going anywhere in a trillion light years at his state even if he wanted to.

It was not a crony that came on the catwalk but Jan himself, his eyes and multiple piercing glowed in the hallway backdrop of ceiling lights. The one person Luke wanted to see actually came as he tried to see what was under Jan's arms.

"Hey, bro!" His voice was as smarmy and cheerful as ever.

"Jan," Luke called. "It's you?"

"Who the fuck else, man? And look." He brought out what he carried: a braided sweet bread roll. "I confiscated it from the kitchen. Man, it's great that we get decent meals and a place to stay after you . . ." He held back at that last line. Then swung his legs through the grates of the walk imitating a prison inmate. "Well anyway, sorry I didn't come to see you. Doc's all gung ho on keeping everyone outta here." Jan offered half of the braided roll to his older brother. "Here. I guess you're probably hungry." Luke took the gesture as a sort of joke, he knew this was not Jan's sense of humor.

Turning away in a huff, he scuffed, "Forget it. What do you think I am a mouse? That crumb won't do any good let alone satisfy any hunger I have."

Sensing he was already no longer welcomed, Jan stood up and was about to leave. "I guess you think you're better now that you're the _big _guy on campus. Excuse _little _old Jan for being the good guy!"

"Jan!" Luke familiar heightened cry shook his brother unintentionally. He realized he was being selfish because of his crabby mood and did not want Jan to leave, not when Jan finally took the time to come to his side. "I'm sorry. I'm stupid, okay? I really can't stand this. I can't take being treated and tested like some animal. You probably wouldn't understand."

"What the fuck's that suppose to mean? We're already fuckin' lab rats to Doc."

"I meant being a giant."

"Okay, I wouldn't understand then. But at least take this stupid bread. Makes no sense to just fuckin' waste it. Probably better than what you're getting."

"Getting what, Jan? We're vampires."

"Well, when there's no liquids, you get solids."

Not wanting to delve further into Jan's unusual quip, Luke outstretched his hand and Jan let the roll drop down, which dwarfed the bread to pea size. Luke swallowed the tiny lump, thinking to himself hopefully and naïvely that it was the mushroom that would make him smaller. As if his wish was granted, Luke immediately noticed the sudden and awesome change. The catwalk rose above him and the sector's walls expanded and fled away; he became smaller and smaller, passing his normal size and becoming as tall as when he was a kid and smaller still.

Luke shrank down to 5 inches, lost amid a futuristic Lewis Carroll wonderland of cold silver, frozen not by his fear but shock that he was free to move but sensed the act as unreal. It was a dream that altered Luke as he wanted to stay like this forever, wanting to sleep but was awake. He was now a tiny man, staring up at his little brother who now stood tall over him like a Easter Island god. Luke was now easier and light enough for Jan to pick up and be placed inside his shirt pocket.

Outside the secret compound, it was pitch black except for some faint search lamps hanging across the walls of the sector Luke stayed in. This atmosphere was perfect for Jan to sneak away as he carried a brown knap sack as if he planned the escape from the beginning. Spotting a working jeep hiding among a wreckage piled up from Luke's training, Jan tossed the sack into the adjacent seat and hopped in the driver's seat. Strange as it was to be abandoned by soldiers on look-out, it was again a perfect notch for the already smoothly planned escape.

Ruffling under the bag's flap like a mouse under a sheet, Luke popped his head out and balanced the heavy flap with his right arm. He surveyed his surroundings as best he could and found his younger brother, on the floor of the jeep attempting to hot wire the vehicle.

"Jan," Luke quietly called, hoping his brother can hear him. "Jan," calling again, "How did we escape? What the hell are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? We're getting outta here."

"Where are we going to go? It's blind to just speed off anywhere, unless this makes it easier for the Major to send after us!"

"We're going back to America, bro! I'm sick of living in the fuckin' hot jungle. Man, it'll be great. I can't fuckin' wait! And there's something' waitin' for us there too!"

Luke thought Jan was delusional and was not eager enough to trust his driving skills. The brothers have not been in the United States in over four months, ever since the Major pulled the brothers out after they "involuntarily" left Millennium without proper notice of departure. Needless to say, their uncle was extremely upset for his own personal reasons that Luke never discovered.

The engine coughed and started to rumble, signaling that Jan got it to work. He put it in gear when the sound of a bang startled the two, Luke more so since he was five inches tall and the sound similar to a cannon. The mindless Freak soldiers came from the horizon in the rear view mirror; muttering another swear word under his breath, Jan stepped on the gas and sped like a bullet. Guns kept firing and pummeling at them. Jan kept revving the engine, forcing more power from the jeep to hopefully get out of the main acre of the Millennium lot. Soldiers appeared from the shadowed plant life, poised ready to aim at the car. Making a sharp turn, Jan maneuvered the jeep out the crossing bullets and managed to knock two soldiers off their feet.

Driving through a South American jungle was tough. Even though it was night out, it was slightly humid and muggy, not a comfortable temperature for Jan. He was thinking after they escaped for good that he would dunk himself in cold water, where ever he thought it would be.

Eventually, the jeep skid to a stop at a paved airport, a running passenger airplane waiting for them. Taking the bag and his brother inside along for the ride, Jan approached the copter door. Awaiting his arrival, the door opened and stood a gigantic looking feminine person. She brandished a short cropped haircut, packed muscles and half a body worth of strange and taboo tattoos. The pilot was named Joleen Britz, one of their comrades of Millennium. Her intentions seemed to gesture that she could pound Jan into a gelatin paste or slice him just the same with a scythe that was nestled next to her on the co-pilot seat.

"You ready," her gruff voice asked, a cigarette under her lip.

The engine hummed and the blades started turning, puttering and buzzing into working gear. The wheels were soon tucked away and the plane soared above the ground and into the air. As Joleen steered with her arm cropped and the rest of her almost looking relaxed, Jan was ready to do the same as he slumped down on his seat, the seat belt pinching above his stomach. Luke was trapped among the belt strap in a comedic pose, a 5-inch tall man looking like an action figure and treated like a real person.

"You know you can grow back up whenever you want, bro."

Luke turned up to his brother. He knew it was his brother was talking to him, but Jan's appearance in the dark area made him look like a demon cat feared among Christians.

"It's the bread isn't it? What exactly was in it?"

Jan explained to him that it was Luke's extracted growth hormones that Doc reverted to shrinking hormones. It was part of another idea Doc had: shrinking soldiers to microscopic size and attacking a specific person, possibly as a way to journeying into the Hellsing Nosferatu and attacking from the inside. The brothers knew that, if anything, that idea was not going to go so smoothly.

"You should of seen it, Luke," he babbled on. "His little rat labbers was in a puddle when I threatened to blow his brains out if he didn't inject the hormone stuff. Man, what a _rush_, _man_."

_"As great as your moment was, that still doesn't explain everything."_

"Well, I thought you were the smart one. I already told you. I overheard that you can, but nobody said nothin'. You wouldn't have believed me if I told you. I mean you were ready to squash me. But so what, you're not locked away anymore."

"So, I can revert back to my normal size this whole time? Why wasn't I told this?" Luke spent a lot of time crying and feeling sorry for himself that his feelings now reverted back to anger against his uncle. He should have known better than to believe everything Doc had said.

"And what, have Millennium lose its 'greatest weapon'? Oh God, that would have been a field day, wouldn't it?"

"Well, they didn't."

They both turned to Joleen, who was hawk-eyeing them from the pilot seat.

"Hey, hey wait now," Jan tried to deter. "We had a deal, Britz. You get us the hell out of here . . ."

"And take you to America so that you can make up for screwing us over, right?"

Jan knew not to cross the burly woman, instead and not in his fashion, he tried to compensate for what he said.

"Exactly. No sense Millennium losing a weapon, right?" He embarrassingly spread a smile to try and fool Joleen as much as possible. She grinned back and returned to her position. Luke faced his larger brother again, this time he was puzzled by Jan's change of words.

"Hey, she's doing us a favor," Jan whispered. "If is wasn't for her, we'd be in deeper shit than this."

The rest of the trip was nervously quiet. The battering of Jan was not to be heard, which kept surprising Luke since they were first reunited. He thought to himself what kind of dream he was in. Nothing was making sense. His younger brother was able to mastermind a plan as fool proof as it was, Joleen granting a favor on their behalf when she took the brothers as privileged brats because they were Doc's nephews. Maybe he wanted all this to be a dream; it was not good enough to be taken seriously yet the nightmares of experiments and the exploitation of his size were still too real and he wanted to escape. His last waking thoughts pondered the realm of freedom, normalcy, his parents (?), Alucard, what might have been and its true cost.

TO BE CONTINUED, PART 3


	3. Chapter 3

_ This story takes place in an alternate universe, outside of the Blood Brothers and Dead Zone episodes from the Hellsing Anime and Manga chapters. The Valentine Brothers, Hellsing and its characters, etc. do not belong to me. The character of "Shinny" belongs to me. May contain strong language (from Jan)_

Watching Big Brother

Part 3

_Just My Size_

A darkening shadow loomed over Luke. What looked like limbs were as bright as soaking headlights in the rain. Was this figure his own uncle, now towering above him? But the shadow caresses his face with a long finger, a feminine touch petting him. It was like the hand of his mother almost reaching out to him, but an unfamiliar goddess watching from space. Luke wanted to know who this was. This savior hidden by the darkness and blinding his eyes. . .

Morning took over Luke's dreams at last. He was in an unfamiliar place as he awoke to find himself lying on what was a firm, white cloud. He tried to find his glasses, but found them hung on his shirt pocket, which made the search the least of his problems. He looked around and found that it was a bedroom, but was as big a Hilton hotel lobby, the entire room encased in white like a fantasy of Heaven. He slept on a bed that stretched for yards, literally a king-sized sleeping post. A brown dresser stood against the wall between two closets and an oval mirror hanging above the dresser on his left. On the right, a large window hung clear white curtains, appearing invisible against the bright morning light.

They made it back to America it seemed. Joleen was able to give them a ride and paid for their trip on a commercial flight without being detected. The soldier Freaks chased the brothers through the South American jungles, so everyone will know they escaped and go on the trail for them if Joleen didn't mention to the brothers that she will explain everything for them. It would be good on his and his brother's part for them to buy some time and completely leave their trail vacant and undetected.

It certainly felt like a dream to Luke. He desperately wanted to believe that he grew 60 feet tall and was experimented and tested on by his uncle, Doc, only to be shrunk and rescued by his brother. Then he wanted the image of the dark light being that became a giant almost to be real, it was soft as imagined but still a mystery. Everything became a mystery; why was he here and why was he still small? Luke realized that this was not a dream anymore; his sleep did not comfort him and all that he had experienced did happen.

"You're bro's still sleeping when I checked," said a young woman named Abigail, who liked to be called Shinny, readjusting her black hair ribbon that hung on the side of her head. Jan was stretched out on her couch and appeared to take up every space with his unusual relaxed pose. His legs out and strewn like he was hanging on the couch's edge. The girl looked in her hallway mirror to check herself. She ran her fingers first through her honey hair and scratched around her cheek, trying to look for something unusual. She was dressed in a long stringy black dress and a black vest, sleeves covering her arms and white buttons adorning the vest. She didn't have the heavy make-up Goths girls were known for with black eyeliners and black lipstick, except she had dark green and gold contact lenses. With her constant rubbing of her eyes, she would rather not go through the trouble of eye infections.

The place the brothers were staying was a summerhouse located in a secluded countryside, prefect for them to not be noticed and make all the noise they want. Shinny bought the home from her parents so they could spend their retirement in Boston when she moved out to attend college a few years back. It was a small and cozy place; she fitted it to look like an apartment style of New York upper class.

"So how you've been, Janni," she asked the younger Valentine. Jan cringed whenever she called him "Janni" in a sweet little voice, but he knew she was a girl after his own deadened, vampiric heart, even though she's a human and seemed a little too kind of be considered Gothic. "I was worried about you when you didn't call me back."

"Well, what the fuck did you expect? It was four fuckin' months ago. Can't believe you waited that long. And I had to tell you _everything _about the damn group since I showed up."

"And it's all because your older brother became tiny? It seemed too far fetched."

"It's more than that, Shinny babe. Big bro was bigger than that. _Way _bigger. I had no choice unless that was me as the fuckin' guinea pig. Too bad though. I wanted that to be a surprise. A 'down there' surprise if you know what I mean," Jan ended with a cute devilish look, hoping she would look his way.

"You're such a swear bag sometimes. Maybe that's why I love you." Shinny approached the couch and proceeded to sit on Jan's lap. She placed her lips on his and licked all around the rim and on one of his lip earrings.

"Oh yeah, babe. Nothing like a 'morninger' for me," he sloppingly cooed, trying to be sensual without success. Since getting to know Jan better, Shinny liked doing two things with him. Making out on the large creamy couch and making out on the porch at night, with the sound of rustling trees and occasional owls hooting as their backdrop.

She still had to get use to Jan crass method of being nice to her. Shinny continued to kiss him and rubbed his shoulders all the way down his back.

Back in the guest bedroom, Luke took hold of the sheets and slowly slid down the mammoth bed like a mountain climber edging into a cliff's underground cave. Thankfully, he regained his appetite as he did when he was regular sized. The last thing he remembered was sleeping inside the flap of Jan's knapsack on the plane ride to the US. He wanted to go to back to sleep just to relax for once if not for drowning out the wacky predicament he was thrown into. Being 60 feet tall was a confining challenge, but now standing at 5-inches tall would prove to have an even bigger challenge.

He was uncertain if he could get to the kitchen before his hunger would slow him down. The knapsack was in the corner by the closet and he walked over there to check anything out. Removing the flap was a little difficult; it took him a few tries before he moved 3 inches of the flap's tip. Then he proceeded to crawl inside, climbing over the faded tan material and using his night vision, part of his vampiric trait, to look around the dark area. Unexpectedly, he came across a large glass bottle with a sticker across it. Luke's closer inspection found that the vial read: "GH: 51LV". Was that the growth hormone formula Jan mentioned he stole, he thought to himself.

With enough strength in his tiny body, Luke managed to lift and bring the bottle out of the sack and carefully place it on the floor. Then he let himself drop out of the sack and on his feet. He looked at the growth hormone's bottle and found the contents inside were a slivery white, but it looked pink. He wondered why there was a pink pigmentation in the formula. Then he realized dumbfoundingly that he was looking through the clear tape of the sticker, odd that it was for a scientific experiment to be covered in something as silly as a pink tape covering.

Luke then had an idea. If Jan was able to slip some of the shrinking formula from the extracts of the hormone into him, maybe the growth hormones would work also. A strange idea that he would never think of, but he felt it was worth a try, if it meant returning to his normal size since he didn't know how to do it himself. Could he do it himself? He didn't have time to think, he wanted to be independent again.

He placed his hand on the cork of the bottle and slowly twisted it off, careful not to make too much rocking motions so as the bottle would not tip over. He struggled and strained trying to remove the cork and was losing his nerve to continue further. It was taking too much of his energy to remove something as normally simple as opening a bottle. He failed to realize that his frustration was over taking him. His body warmed and pulsed with a strong sensation, a familiar one that caused his growth some time ago. Luke came to realize that his hands were over taking the cork, slowly expanding for his fingers to grasp the cork entirely and his other hand holding the bottle. He paused for a moment by how his hands were almost larger than he was and his body then quickly shot up.

Almost like baring another ability, he could predict what his height was as he grew. His hands were a foot in length and appeared smaller when he grew a foot himself. Slowly and surely, he shot another foot and was then standing three feet tall. He could now see over the bed and into the sunlight. Luke was delighted that he was growing again and hopefully to where he wanted to be.

Shinny and Jan continued to make out when Luke went through his transformation. Shinny rubbed and smoothed her hands over Jan's shirt, proceeding to unzip it delicately. Hurried footsteps were soon heard and panting that was not coming from either two.

"JAN," Luke cried from the doorway. "You're not going to believe this!"

Jan said with a grunt, "What the fuck is it bro . . . What the fuck!"

Jan became dumbstruck, forgot that Shinny was on top of her, and pushed her to the side. Shinny took offense to that when their time was getting steamier, but she sat there just as dumbstruck as Jan was.

Standing in the doorway was a child-sized Luke, grasping the bottle in his hand and supporting the door frame with his other hand. He was smiling and baring his mouth like never before. Jan could not remember the last time Luke was this ecstatic about something other than books.

"Bro, what the hell. . . Look at you, man!"

"I know! I'll finally be normal sized again!

"You certainly weren't normal sized before," Shinny made a humorous crack.

Another wave of excitement overtook Luke and did not stop. Even though he was happy about the thought of returning to normal, his body did not desist growing. He shot up to his normal height, but recognized the switched looks of his brother and the girl on the couch. Before he could ask, he bumped his head on the ceiling, indicating that he was about 6'11, almost reaching seven feet even.

"Wait, what it this!"

"What are you doing, bro?"

"I'm not doing anything!" His screams wobbled the walls.

Shinny bolted up from the couch and was about to move to a free corner, thinking that Luke would not stop and could take over the entire house.

"Luke! Please calm down," she tried to reason with him. "Everything'll be okay."

"Yeah, bro, listen to her! I'm not goin' through this shit again!"

Luke closed his eyes, trying hard to contain himself and hoping their words would calm him. He thought to himself that he did not want this and wanted it to stop.

A few agonizing seconds later, Luke miraculously stopped growing. All he allowed himself was to stand at 9 feet tall, his back arched to the corner of the ceiling and his head looking over the doorframe. Shinny stepped out of the corner and came closer to where Jan stood. They looked at Luke and he looked at them. They were not as tiny the last time he looked at other people, but in his eyes, he was still huge. It may be his imagination that perceived it, but he still towered over everything again and he did not doubt that.

"Wow," Shinny gasped as she gawked at Luke, hoping that she was not being too rude to her giant guest.

"I guess I should have asked what type blood you drink. I hope coffee's okay."

Shinny prepared breakfast a short time after the three got out of their defunct states. She made scrambled eggs, Taylor ham and bagels for all, but instead of coffee, her preferred drink was orange juice. She thought she was a good cook and did not have to worry too much about the blood problem for the brothers. It was shocking to her that not all vampires lived on just blood alone; maybe she thought they were a different kind. She did know Jan for a couple of months before he was forced to flee the country. Right now, she was hoping she made enough food. There were no plates or coffee cups big enough for Luke to enjoy with, but Shinny made due with a large holiday serving tray for his meal and a large soup pot for coffee.

"It's fine, thank you," Luke responded after taking a sip from the soup pot. He sat cross-legged again across from Jan and Shinny at his side. His body blocked the door to her balcony as she had the table moved into the middle of the slightly tiny cottage kitchen to make as much room as possible. Jan thought it was hysterical when Luke crawled through the kitchen door because he was tired of his head hitting things. Jan wanted to blurt out how his butt also grew, but decided against it.

"So, what exactly happened, bro," Jan finally asked. "You had that stuff in your hand. I didn't think you were hitting the end of one."

"Try opening it as a Lilliputian," Luke snapped back at him. "It was a pain and that's all I focused on. I guess I'm not as patient as I thought I was."

"Well, at least you didn't go fuckin' crazy this time. None of us would has a roof over our head."

Shinny chimed in, "And at least you managed to stay clothed. I don't want Janni to think I was getting an eyeful."

"What the fuck?"

"Oh come on, I'm teasing you." Shinny smiled back. "I thought you could take a joke."

Luke knew right away that the two would get along famously. She reminded him of his little brother, except she swore less and was a lot nicer. It was not something he would say about humans since it was a long time he was one once.

"Anyway," Shinny began, "This was what your bro told me about, Luke. Looking at you now, I thought you were trying to escape the US army."

When Luke heard her, he shot a look at Jan as if he messed up again.

"But it's okay," Shinny tried to answer for Jan. "There's no reason to go at him for it. I don't care that you guys are Nazi's and stuff. I mean, only because you don't really behave like them."

"Well, we don't Shinny," Luke, said to her. "Our uncle forced us into it. We had no choice to ignore what Millennium wanted and our parents were gone so we had nowhere else to live."

"Oh, so you're kind of like hitmen with regrets, then?"

"Some regrets," Luke plainly put it.

"So what are you going to do now? You're more than welcome to stay here as long you like." Shinny sipped from her glass and tried to smooth things over again. "I can't say for the insurance for whatever happens or if 'they' come here."

"Fuck the insurance, babe. We're vampires. And we can take them down on our own. Especially with a little help from the big guy." Jan turned over to his brother. "Right, big bro."

Luke was hoping he could get through the morning without hearing toilet talk from Jan, and was now pushing a little too far.

"I don't really appreciate being called that," Luke icily said.

"I always call you 'big bro'. Why bitch now?"

A large thud hit as Luke dropped his drink on the table, the force digging the table legs into the kitchen floor. Shinny almost choked on a piece of egg and meat in her mouth. Luke slowly uncrossed his legs and stood on his knees, looking bigger than before, like a bright miniature god with a fierce glare.

"Just when I think you actually started to care about my feelings, Jan, you had to make a joke at my expense!"

"Hey, man! Are you forgettin' who saved your giant sorry ass last night! I would have left for good by my fuckin' self and leave your fuckin' whiny ass behind. You could've fuckin' been Millennium's Pet like fuckin' Hellsing did, is that what you want!" Jan's own roaring only infuriated Luke to the extreme. Shinny wanted to get in the middle of this to keep the guys from killing each other, but she decided not to cross either brother at their fullest rages. So much for brotherly love at this time.

"_I could have been Millennium's PET!_" Luke voice grew louder and shook from his lungs. "I could have escaped by _myself_ if I wanted to! And I could have strangled you like a rat in my eyes!"

"Yeah, I bet your glad it was _you_ instead of _me_! I would have fucked you up ten times over!"

For the first time that Luke could remember, Jan's ongoing insults drove him to punch his brother right in the face. And this time, it would go right through his brother's entire body. He clenched his left hand into a fist, ready to strike. Then, he remembered what happened when he got upset, so he let his hand loose and fall. He instead strove past Shinny who looked on with shear fear at what could have happened. Luke ducked his head down the doorway and the sound of his feet hammering the floor disappeared when Luke carelessly opened the door with a crack and left.

Shinny turned to her lover in the deadly quiet kitchen; Jan's face broke out in a red sweat with heavy breathing, almost facing the thought of his older brother's violent impact.

"Christ," Jan broke the silence, as earthshaking as Luke's impounding footsteps. "If he wanted to kick my ass, he should've."

"Jan," Shinny cried.

"Well what? If he wanted to be the adult, he should've stayed and got it over with. He's always like this shit when someone hurts his 'feelings'." His voice calmed down as he again remarked, "The big guy around acted like a fuckin' big baby instead."

"I'm not surprised why," Shinny said in an angry tone. "Of all people, you were the one to hurt his feelings. He probably heard from everyone in his life and didn't want to hear it from you. And you told me about Millennium and all that shit, because it was out of _your _sake for him. Luke can't help what happened to him and I'd be pissed too if that happened to me!"

"Come on, babe. It'll be water under the . . ."

"Don't be so sure, babe!"

Shinny sat back down and tried to eat, but she continued thinking about Luke. She got up and left her kitchen, while Jan was left to fume in his own space.

"Christ," he muttered again. "And I wasn't even joking."

_Giant's Domain_

Luke needed time to cool off after fighting with his brother. Much to his surprise, his anger did not cause him to grow. He was able to slip back to his normal height after lying against a tree to calm his thoughts. It was a little relieving that he was not some enormous menace or a pint-size mouse anymore, but his guilt still remained inside him. Why did he feel the way he did? What was normal anyway?

Luke knew he was always different. He was smarter and faster than most kids growing up. He considered himself a charmer and people respected him. But despite all those qualities, he could not help but think if it was because he was taller than everyone else. Everyone probably got on his good side because they did not want to anger him, afraid that he would hurt them with a single swing of an arm if he was angry or lifting heavy desks when he was depressed.

Yet he was popular back in the London schools. He was president of the Science club, a star in track and field and one of the top academic students. He also had a tendency to tell people that he was not related to Jan, even though they both had the same last name. The façade never lasted long when Jan kept grabbing the opportunity to grab around his taller brother's neck and shout to everyone how 'damn proud he was of his bro'. Luke thought it was a way of getting on his nerves when Jan pranced like that. However, he failed to realize a lot of times that Jan _was _proud of him. Luke always stood up for Jan when Jan got into fights or whenever the other boys would pound on him. Being taller did have an advantage over his bullying peers.

Luke also knew that he forgets the tender side of their relationship. Whatever Luke did, it was as a brother looking out for a younger brother's best interest. When he was locked inside the sector, he thought of how he wanted to see Jan, the only person he wanted to see. He was rude to Jan when he offered him food, but Luke thought everything was pointless at the time. That he wanted to give up and no small gesture would change his mind. But Jan was doing him a favor this time; he got him out of the sector and to freedom. It was more than anyone could ask for.

He wanted to go and apologize to Jan, but he needed a different view of his surroundings. It was a long time since he could move on his own without staying cramped in a tiny space for weeks on end. He was free and he did not have to worry about making any unusual scenes.

_Awakening Ghosts_

His quick speed led him into a town's business district. He recognized the quaint surroundings, the cheerful faces and productiveness as the little town of Luthern when He and Jan were stationed there. He always liked to visit the stores, especially the book shop. There he would drown out the day and some free time in many classics, yet their books were not always great and in short supply. He was certain that he read half of the store's books, which can say that their inventory was already leafed through top to bottom.

Instead of going through familiar territory, he wandered by a small café's outdoor area. So he sat and mused around one of the circular tables, listening to a radio playing inside the café's background of Otis Redding's _Shake,_ enjoying a small espresso. He found using the word 'small' a little humorous. Something as simple as words that describe size was nothing ever important to him, but now it appeared that it was important. It was like he lived around both worlds, led different lives and personalities. In his life, he wanted to broaden his horizons, but everything in the last month or so broadened more than that. He became like the figures in science fiction and fantasy tales. A giant living outside common society, and the little people who made the effort and risk to accept them. His brother and his girlfriend are the second closest to him now and he hoped not to lose them.

After enjoying one last sip, Luke ventured back home. Around that time, it was two hours before sunset. Shinny was out on her porch and she looked to be asleep, lying on a white lawn chair. Her body rustled up and she turned to see the pale looking man casually walking up to her. She swung up and off to reach him by the railing.

"So that's what you really look like," Shinny said admiringly.

"What do you mean by that," Luke asked.

"I mean that your of average height now." Her smile brightened Luke.

"'Average' means different thing to people, Shinny." Luke's intellectual manner shined through his opinion. "But now it means many thing to me. But, anyway. Where's Jan?"

She pointed toward the back door to the kitchen.

"He's in our room." When she said "our room", it meant her guest room she converted to a regular bedroom she and Jan shared, while Luke, in actuality, slept in her old room. "Locked tight."

"I see. Somehow, I'm not surprised. I just hope there's some reason left in him." Turning toward the now unmanageable front door, Luke lifted the door up to reach inside.

"Much, much luck to ya, Luke," Shinny called back.

Everything was quiet inside. Sometimes in their line of work it was either a blessing or too good to be true. Total silence meant an ambush on most occasions, but this procedure would be more low key. As Luke reached the door, he politely knocked.

"Hey, Jan," he called inside. There was no response. He tried another level of getting his brother's attention. "Bro," it came out like a noble speaking in slang. "Jan, Shinny told me you're in there and I know she wouldn't lie. But, I'm really sorry about the way I acted. It was out of line and it wasn't fair."

Jan sat cross legged on the bed, forbiddingly holding a cigarette between his fingers. Thin smoke was visible in the dim room and he didn't care then that his human lover would chew him out for smoking in the house. He would not speak to his older brother and he made sure he will not break. He felt unappreciated for the first time and did not want to think that Luke apologizing would make everything go away. Even so, he wanted to continue to have his say.

"Coming off your high horse wouldn't even make me budge, man," he muttered loudly through the holed up enclosure.

Sighing, Luke tried again, "I know you don't believe me, but I am deeply sorry. Everything that's happened, the way I've been snapping at you. I really couldn't help that. But I've been thinking that you still went out of your way to do this. I am thankful for that, I really am. But right now, and what I want to say would be strange, even to you. I need you. Weneed each other right now. There's no way in Hell that Millennium would allow us back in even if we wanted to. Doc would dissect us both and we wouldn't have had a chance anywhere else if it wasn't for Shinny. And I even appreciate all _she's _done for us. No one else would if you think about it.

"Is there at least anyway to make you see that?" Rustling was heard behind the door. "Anything?"

Luke heard something else inside. It was the sound of something opening and a wheezing that sounded like a breeze. The door creaked opened. Luke could smell a cigarette already put out and he hoped it wasn't somewhere forebodingly.

"You positive, right?" Jan leaned against the door in a slick feature.

"Well, yes," Luke answered uncertainly and hoping his favor would not have him doing something unsavory.

"Well, the only thing you _can_ do is something you already have."

Luke wasn't sure what Jan was getting at, leaving his younger brother to explain.

"Remember I told you you had control over this? Remember? If you didn't act like a fuckin' pansy half the time, you could have used that attitude of yours to your advantage. Know what I mean?"

"I do, yes." He already knew the deed. "If it makes you happy, I'll try and control this power. But, I can't grow or anything while in the house."

"Come around the back, then," Jan told him.

Luke nodded and took a different way out.

Outside, it was getting cooler as Shinny was still on the porch, waiting. Upon the back door opening, she saw Luke come out and watched him step behind the house. She was curious as to why and followed him. Luke saw Jan's head sifting out the window ledge like a lapping dog and approached him, his arms hung loose as he let his brother know he was ready.

"You sure about this, Jan?"

"Hey! No backing out on this, man."

"I'm not. It's. . . just hard to embrace the idea of becoming bigger."

"You want to prove you're open to this, go wild. No time like the fuckin' present as they say."

With a soft relaxed sigh, Luke focused with intent this time to get his power working. He thought of the times when his powers erupted when he expressed extreme emotions. He was happy trying to think of a Hellsing invasion plot when it happened, but felt frustrated. He was frustrated too when opening the growth hormone's bottle, but he became excited when he was growing again and too much of it overdid the growth. Arguing with Jan intensified his anger, but he did not grow at all. Then, he remembered that when his focus in all those situations turned to Doc, that was when the growth started. He focused on that anger, the hurt, the torture, the agonizing stares of others gawking, the nightmares. He wanted his body to get use to the idea of growing, expanding, but suppressed rage spun it all out of control. He _will _go wild with it, but in his own way.

Instead, he focused on what he told himself earlier. The sense of furthering horizons, a sense of worth with each passing inch and muscle and pure expansion. He could feel his body blanketed by a warm sensation. It was not intense anger or happiness that he felt, but the power his body possessed that he suppressed. The hormones secreted throughout his body, making different journeys through his veins as he can feel it all for the first time. His mind in a state of ease as is body finally started rising. He could tell he was reaching the eight foot mark.

Shinny was coming closer when Luke started to rise above the gutters. She was showing quick remarkable bravery when standing seven feet away from the forming giant. She was ready to move back before the environment grew crowded. In her eyes, she caught sight of something new. It was a man stepping out, moving away from small steps and taking great leaps. She was not sure exactly how tall Luke was becoming, but so far he was waist high over the edge of the roof. It was true that Luke could express this awesome gift, but she never expected it to happen so fast, almost with ease. Shinny saw the strength in his face, relaxed and tame.

Luke's head surpassed over the roof top in what seemed like a long time and could see into the distant dark trees. He figured if the tiny house is around thirteen feet high and his crotch already passed the gutter mark, he must be over 27 feet and he knew he would have to grow even more, this time he wanted to grow. He wanted to control the nightmares, make the fantasy his own. It will prove that he was not a pansy, that he was not afraid. This was power he never felt before or was opened to; he then reached 50 feet. The world seemed welcoming. It was not a cramped room or a house that could no longer support him, everything was freely spaced. He could see for the first time why Doc wanted it this way. Controlling every space was tempting, all things that were great became measly miniscule. Only a giant brainless creature could pull it off, satisfying a mindless hunger that was not its own. Only Luke had a brain and he refused to give his uncle a glory hogging satisfaction. It was Luke who controlled it now.

When the process was finished, Luke stood 100 feet tall, dwarfing all his surroundings. From afar, he was magnificent as he literally stood taller than imaginable. Jan was livid down below, whooping and calling at the crowning achievement.

"That's what I'm talkin' man! God-fuckin'-zilla!"

Shinny stepped up closer and craned her neck to take a look. If the sun was still up, she would have been blinded. After what she had seen, she uttered a "wow" under her breath.

"What do you think," Luke's booming voice reached below. Shinny shifted her body in shock by the giant Luke's voice. Jan proceeded to climb out the window to join his lover and Luke, but clumsily doing do and high on too much excitement. He landed on something that felt like a warm silk blanket. It was the unexpected safety of his older brother's enormous hand, providing his usual quick reflexes even at his immense size.

"Better be careful there, little brother," Luke smiled wide and mischievously.

"Whoa," came Shinny's excited musing. "That was cool Luke! I didn't know you were _that _fast!"

Jan looked at her like he was offended.

"Oh God, you know I meant his power Janni!"

Shinny helped him off the giant's hand and pecked his cheek as a sign of hopefully her love to him.

"I think I'll stay out here tonight," Luke stated as he settled himself on the ground to look at the night sky.

"Are you sure," Shinny asked. "I mean . . ." She trailed off, not sure how to convince Luke.

Luke turned to face the tiny couple. "I just want to know what it feels like _now_."

"Figures," Jan chimed in. "He rather be alone and shit. No point wasting . . ."

"I rather have you guys here," Luke commanded downward. Jan opened his mouth, but Shinny placed her fingers over his lips. She could feel a fanged tooth over the skin like she was charming a shark.

"We were just starting to have fun. I never figure you be a party pooper Jan."

"Am not! I just figure that bro can do it and . . . Ah forget it!" Reluctantly, Jan stayed by her side. Shinny could see how small she really was when Luke raised them up to the roof on his palm so that they are slightly closer to Luke and within his hearing.

"So . . ." Jan started to speak, but dragged his voice before he could speak again.

"'So' what," Shinny curiously asked.

"Aren't you gonna say something', bro," Jan ignored her and asked Luke.

"Say what?" Luke was not sure where this guessing game was going.

"That this time, I was," Jan dragged his words again. "What was that word that meant the opposite of 'wrong'?"

Luke scowled as Jan tested his patience again.

"You want me to say that you were right?"

"Was _that _the word?" Jan grinned and added, "And that would, I don't know, apply to _me_?"

"Yes, Jan! You _were _right. It's not so terrible anymore."

"What, that I can be right?"

"If you're right, then why ask me?"

"I ain't askin' you! I already know I was right. Boy if I was up there right now, I'd . . ."

Luke tapped a finger a top his brother's head and nudged him gently as Jan began to struggle.

"Well you're not," Luke teased, "And no matter what, I'm still the oldest and you should learn a few things from me."

"Yeah, like how to get a big head that matches the rest of ya."

Shinny giggled as the Valentine's were up to their usual antics of brotherly love. She felt everything was going smoothly again. Her chuckles became louder when Jan started jumping to get his hat back as it dangled some ten feet above his head. Clutching her neck, she felt a bruise on her jaw that halted her laughter as she took out a pocket mirror. It was hard to see what it looked like, but from the bottom of her eye, the bruise was purplish and yellow. She shrugged it off as an old mark that she probably forgotten about and went back to enjoying the spectacle.

_Birth of a Weapon_

Thousands of mile away, deep in beautiful jungle seclusion, The Millennium Base was shrouded in work and uproar. No one would ever guess that the lacky of the Valentine Brothers would carefully, single-handedly steal a secret formula, and execute an escape with a giant male vampire he personally reduced in size himself. Yet, someone else knew the effect of the situation first hand and was more enraged than anyone on the compound.

Doc found it hard to work under the uproar. His lab assistants kept gossiping and got on his nerves more than once when they forgot a certain agenda or accidentally dropped syringes or test tubes. Eventually, he sent them all out and tried to concentrate on his own. His entire mind wandered on what how his own impotent nephew and his equally brash older brother made the escape so quickly. The soldiers should have caught them before they made their way to the gate, even _before _they made it to the airport. Everyone was becoming incompetent. It was poppy cock when comrade Joleen Britz stated that the brothers were striking out against Hellsing because Major already ordered them to and she was taking them to their destination prior for the trip to England. Doc knew the Major did not make such an order without mention to him first. It was out of character for the Major to not consult one of his most loyal handy man, especially since the brother's were his responsibility. Yet either way, Major was still pleased by the ballsy move of his nephews and would give them a heroes welcome if the mission succeeds.

His nephews' congratulations for a possible success angered Doc even more as he smash his fist on the examining table. His generation was slowly succumbing to the orders of the young; they would not be punished for their ordeal and infest their way in before anyone considered siring them. Either way, he knew the boys would not forget their place after everyone bows to them for a rounding success. It was his life long project that they will get the recognition for and he will literally turn them into the size of rats for real animal experiments, as he believed they were meant for.

Doc stayed in his laboratory/quarters for hours. He looked over photos of a family, posing and smiling together. He recognized the two little boys in the small family portrait. Younger and cuter versions of the brothers dressed in blue blazers for their school uniforms, but Jan slightly stuck his tongue out while Luke ignored it and his parents smiled at his antic. It was no surprise that Jan would never outgrow that stage. The photo was dated October 13, 1986, a week before the Valentine parents were killed and Doc granted guardianship of them. This was one of many things the brothers took with them from their childhood home and now was one they left behind. Even though Doc fully planned the execution of the Valentine parents, he could not contend to have the sons killed and he knew why. Perfect hosts for turning them into full fledge vampires for Millennium's cause and perfect subjects for evil. He remained in London with the boys until they left school and old enough to be on their own while he traveled back to South America on a regular basis to keep up with the vampire experiments on the soldiers.

He remembered the time when he first started on the boys. Jan, age 7, was too fidgety to sit still while waiting for the preliminary injections and his older brother, age 10, swung his tiny legs over the seat. They did seem cute at the time and Doc took a shining to it. Doc gave Luke the necessary injections for the vampiric makeover to work. Hours later, he was stunned to find the oldest of the brothers was now the tallest. Little Jan was gawking at his older brother, marveling how big he became. Doc knew there was something more special in Luke Valentine.

Luke was permanently stuck at 5'5" tall (167 centimeters) and kept growing naturally, or unnaturally, since then. Doc was intrigued by how this could only happen to Luke and not his brother. He pressured on, studied, and prodded, all the while ignoring Luke's concerns. Luke told him about the nightmares and the teasing in school. Doc always reminded him that to be strong, you can't submit to the words of humans lesser than you. Everything's time will come he also said. It did not help the young boy's esteem and so he forbid the subject to be brought up again.

Doc continued to work on Luke for over ten years, his research led to a hypothesis that the phenomenal growth was the cause of not only excess hormones that kept producing in Luke's body, but as a latent ability in the boy. He was astonished of such power that lay dormant when the boy was still human and finally released when Luke journeyed into his full potential as a vampire. Because of the experiments, Luke developing superhuman speed and strength when his ongoing, ever producing hormones increased every half year to year. This would be the Doctor's proudest achievement and the cornerstone for Millennium's army.

One day, during a physical exam, Doc was shocked to find that the hormones suddenly stopped producing. It was too late to harness the hormones and Luke by then was in his mid-twenties and stood 6'3" tall (192 cm). Already tall enough for the boy even before puberty, Doc estimated that Luke grew another two inches before Luke's height was official. Soon after, Doc felt disappointment in the boy. How could he possibly lose the capability when he would still grow in more ways than one, even after he became an adult? It must have been a cruel joke laid upon him Doc thought. Finding no use for either two, the boys now lived on their own and Doc returned to headquarters permanently.

Doc had to try and convince Luke to use his powers to the fullest extend so that the growth hormones would return and the only way to do that was to trick him and bring out his intellectual nature into a act of gaining supremacy. That was when he lied that Jan volunteered for the enlarging experiment, provoking the foolish boy to take matters in his own hands and set his desire free. He knew that Luke wanted acceptance, that he was useful and important for something. Doc did not entirely ignore the issues Luke had as a child.

His plan worked when Jan, frantic, alerted him of the situation. Hours later, Doc came face to face with the dream and its reality. It was not so flattering to find a perfect specimen holed up inside a tiny house that appeared so to the giant. As with all specimens, when they break your hold and develop a brain, it was a flick of the switch around his wrist that knocked the gargantuan to the ground. Luke Valentine, in Doc's eyes, was no longer a vampire. He was Millennium's greatest achievement and proved a valuable weapon.

It was a lost cause again when the brothers escaped. Doc crumbled the happy photo in his hand. Now the brothers were smiling at him. A false anger then melted away when he bared his own devious smile. Jan was quick, but the Doctor always kept a card under his sleeve.

His card was the remainder of the formulas that no one else knew was located. Blessings from the Major or not, he will take back the cause that is rightfully his and be the hero among Millennium. The under appreciated scientist and intellect will rise above all science. In his mind and language, it is high time to show the best the better part of all members.

After raiding a hidden compartment of his lab, Doc contacted Joleen and requested a secret trip scheduled for the United States. He may not find Luke by his technology, but he will find the other.

TO BE CONTINUED IN PART 4


	4. Chapter 4

_ This story takes place in an alternate universe, outside of the Blood Brothers and Dead Zone episodes from the Hellsing Anime and Manga chapters. The Valentine Brothers, Hellsing and its characters, etc. do not belong to me. The character of "Shinny" only belongs to me._

Watching Big Brother

Part 4

_Living Daydreams_

Shinny peered into the window shop of Winthorp's, which is not only her favorite antiques store next door to the bookstore, but was also, where she worked as assistant manager. She looked at a blood red pearl drop that hung around a gold necklace's chain. She never noticed the intensity of the jewelry's color before, yet she found herself wanting it. Turning away, she remembered her grocery errand that brought her outside that day. The sunshine clung to her white top and beamed over her black flowing gothic skirt and her pink purse; everything was unusually quiet as her spiked pumps clicked on the sidewalk pavement, echoing up to her ears.

As she made the turn on the corner to the market convenience store, the sun disappeared and became dark. Shinny was alone and taken by surprise by the sudden darkness. A few seconds later, the streetlights lit up and flickered orange. Shinny stood immobile, clutching her purse, puzzled and unsure if she should go inside the store or rush back to the shelter of her home.

A lone shadow appeared in front of her. Its outline formed a flowing cape that descended to its feet, its hand stood at its hip, gripping tight. The arms had square patches at the cuff and stiff points at each shoulder end like Viking shoulder pads. Its smile was bright and sneered at Shinny's face.

The figure soon moved closer to her, she kept looking up as the shadow grew in size with each silent step. The billowing cape covered the store and a street leading into the darkness. Shinny wished she went down that street. She found the small courage to move her legs from the ground. She did not wonder if she dropped her purse or if her pumps were stable enough for running. She was only afraid of the threatening shadow, whose size wanted to consume her, to eat her.

Shinny's legs moved too slowly by any means, but she could feel herself moving away quickly from the shadow. She wanted the comfort of her boyfriend's arms more than ever, his rough demeanor protecting her while his brother frightens the dark gigantic creature with his awesome stature. They were nowhere in sight, far away and unable to know or do anything for her. The shadow was closing in, its dark fingers surrounding her body as her flight became a hopeless attempt. Its thumb and index clasped her shirt and proceeded to tug her away. Shinny shifted her body hastily but came out slow. The shirt started to rip away and the rest of the giant's fingers grabbed her and pulled her from the ground. Shinny grunted in despair, she screamed as she saw the dark figure growing again, but became the darkness itself.

Jan jumped out of bed in classic cartoon style. Hanging on the ceiling would make it complete if he went that far. Shinny thrashed in bed, screaming at nothing. Jan grabbed her shoulders, pressing down to calm the thrashing.

"Shinny," Jan cried and was blasted with a louder shrill. He called out again and a third time, the loudest. Her eyes popped open and her body lifted forward. Jan moved to her side, allowing her more room as she breathed heavily. He faked a check to his right ear as if he went permanently deaf.

From the bedroom's open window, Luke's looming eye peeked inside to see what the noise was about. He remained 100 feet tall and slept outside during the night.

"What's going on," his slightly booming voice asked with concern.

Shinny continued her breathing as she laid her head on Jan's shoulder.

"I don't know, man," Jan said in questioning confusion. "She just started screaming."

Shinny gingerly shifted her head so that she tried to face Jan and Luke's eye.

"I'm sorry. I just had a bad dream, that's all. I know it sound silly, but. . . I'm fine. Really." She said as she lifted herself up.

"Fine my ass, Shin," Jan barked. "Now I have to get a goddamn hearing aid!"

Shinny coyly looked at him, but gestured a guilty in her eyes.

"I'm sorry sweetie." She reached for the knob leading to her bathroom door as she brushed her velvet purple nightie down. "You guys'll have to fend for yourselves for awhile. I just need a nice shower." She disappeared inside a ghost through empty air. Jan was left scratching his ruffled head while Luke pondered her behavior.

Shinny's mood did not get any better over the last few days. Every night, she wakes up screaming from the menacing nightmares, did not cook or clean, rarely leaving the house except to go to work at Winthorp's. One of her comforts was staying in the bathtub, immersed in warm water or just to sit inside for hours at a time. Her favorite thing she liked to do was watch Luke practice his growth powers over everything from pencils to dishes to chairs and articles of clothing, hoping its power affects ordinary things. Many times, she remembered, Luke was successful in transforming such objects, almost as if he was born to decide how big or small something should be. But now that seemed like the past, something she could not enjoy anymore.

Her mind was the only thing that occupied her time. After she discovered that mark on her neck below her jaw, she started hearing things. It sounded like someone talking. Someone speaking and ranting about something. When it first started, the voice was faint, and then became louder as the male voice screamed out his frustrations that even shook Shinny in shock. He talked about how ungrateful "they" were. Who's they she thought as the male voice constructed plans. The voice talked it over to someone else, a strong German accent telling that everything was fine, but the male voice pestered about Hellsing and invasion. What were these things Shinny asked herself? Did it have something to with the brothers?

Unfortunately, while Shinny was plagued by the male voice, Jan was having trouble wondering what Millennium was up to.

"Shinny!" A call rang from the house. "Shinny!" It repeated again. The voice belonged to Luke as he stood outside of her bedroom door, knowing she would be in her bathroom again. Jan was outside on the porch having a smoke and Luke wanted to get to the bottom of what was troubling his friend. He can now say that he has a friend and hope that Jan was not ignoring her problems just because he was not the "sensitive" type. Then again, Luke also noticed that his younger brother was occupied with something else and did not say a word about it.

With getting to know Shinny, even though she related more with Jan, he had opportunities to speak to her about other topics and things that were important in his realm of interest. He also noticed how she was engrossed with watching him train and practice his new power he had now come to accept. He had some doubt that it would get out of control he was in a bad mood but the thought it controlled outside of his own body as a worst scenario. But, he reassured himself that the Chip was already removed a long time ago.

As he moved in further and approached the bathroom's door, he could hear what sounded like Shinny talking to herself. She was asking repeatedly questions to herself that Luke was not aware that she knew enough to ask. Rapping on her door, he heard rapid splashing and she that she was taking a bath. Shinny uttered something he could hear, but more like the way Jan would talk in a "normal" conversation. Then, he heard more splash and feet moving. The door suddenly opened and Shinny stood there, long wet hair combing her cheeks and a large white towel wrapped over her breasts. She had a look like she was going to smile as she did.

"Hey, Luke," she nervously said. "Is something wrong?"

"I was hoping to ask you the same thing," Luke said. "You certainly had a lot on your mind and I can tell."

Shinny dried off her hair as it hung in damp curls on the tip of her head and below her neck like Medusa's snakes were taking a nap. She was dressed in a long-sleeve white shirt and a black knee length skirt with sneakers instead of either her nightgown in bed or a robe when there were days she left her bedroom for something. She and Luke sat in the kitchen when the Saturday afternoon light was still bright. Her hands folded flat on the table's edge with shoulders slightly slumped, she appeared as a child sitting in front a school guidance counselor almost refusing but wanting to tell something important.

"Who is this 'Doc' anyway," Shinny asked. "Is he from Millennium too?"

Luke already heard her tell the nightmares of the giant shadow and how she heard a German voice in her mind. He knew the voice belonged to Doc and knew he was planning something diabolical, but it does not explain how she knew that, even though she was aware of what kind of group Millennium was, but not the name or exact details of what kind of person or even monster Doc was. That may have been a big mistake on his part and his brothers since Doc has his way of retrieving information. He was like the Major, except skinner and taller, but just as creepy.

Luke sighed and said, "Yes. He is the Major's left-hand man and responsible for the Freaks. Hopefully, you're aware of that."

"I am," Shinny said. "But then I didn't want to say anything about these 'freaks' I'll take your word for what those are. Probably just as terrible looking at that creepy shadow." She shuddered at the thought.

"Scarier things are out there," Luke added. "But, why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell Jan? Or me?"

She fidgeted her hands and looked down. "I really didn't know what to think of it. I thought it was just a really bad nightmare that scares you for the rest of the day when you're awake. But it was that voice that really creeped me out. I didn't know if it was real or not. And how could tell Jan that? I can tell him about a lot of girly things and he wouldn't roll his eyes like he didn't care sometimes, but not this. I mean, wouldn't you know what that's like?"

Luke did know what it was like. To feel like your stuck in a dream world and living a nightmare when you are awake and asleep. He had that same dream of a giant shadow over him, but it appeared as warm and caring to him; he already knew it had to be her since she was always dressed in black and Jan was not the motherly type.

It still puzzled him how Shinny was receiving this information. He thought it over after they were done talking. The only way she would have known was either there was a chip planted somewhere on him or Jan that was programmed to cling to something specific or Doc may be in the country and is in ear shot of only her as he muttered plots of doom. Luke thought that those were both a long shot. He went out to the porch and saw his brother there, still unfazed by the sunlight. Even though they were both vampires, they were experimented on many times to be immune of the weaknesses of regular vampires and resistance to sunlight was one of them. Looking at Jan, one would think that he spent everyday of his life in daylight. He came closer to him and heard breathing under the cap. It sounded like Jan was asleep. Something told Luke to let Jan sleep as he went back inside to let Shinny know.

_Events Happening Outside_

While Shinny was stressing over her nightmares, something odd started appearing in Luthern. The police were bombarded with eyewitness accounts of people spotting a giant man, pale and dressed in white from head to toe, except with a few blood clots on its oversized coat. Some people claim that the giant man was 30 feet tall; others have said the man was 40 feet tall. The only visible proofs of its existence were large footprints found on people's properties and lawns. The largest found measured around 1-foot wide and four feet long, 8 inches long. The Police and investigative teams sent to where the "giant" was sighted were taken aback by the shape of the footprint. It looked like a triangle rounded at the bottom, a giant teardrop shape. As of now, they refused to let the news media in on the strange situation since they believe it to be a funny hoax and anyone seeing such a sight is considered crazy. The worst thing they could dismiss it as.

_Full Circle_

Luke spent that afternoon at the café, leaving Jan and Shinny alone to spend some time together. He hoped Jan would do a good job of explaining the situation to Shinny; he even coached Jan to say exactly how to word it, whether he would put in a "fuck" or a "shit" was up in the air. There were some things that even Luke could not teach.

The wind was soft as it blew on the flower pots standing on the railings that kept the café's outdoor porch separated from the street. The sun was still out, but could only beam a few bright shines after a few clouds passed by.

Out of unusual casualness, the waiter set down a chai latte on Luke's table while he perused through a newspaper just before he looked at the arts section. He knew he did not order anything to drink, but the waiter said it was from a woman sitting across a few tables from him. His eyes followed forward and caught the attention of the said woman; on cue, the waiter left.

It was hard to say if Luke was ever really in love. A passion for literature or arts was a different kind of love the young man knew, but he never felt compelled to for his eyes to gaze on someone of the opposite sex or opposite life. She was a dark skinned woman with long curls of black hair with her fingers twirling around on her face and her eyes pierced with life and filled with wonder. Her lips were full with a deep shade of red as she also wore a black button down blouse, white jeans and open toed sandals. To him, she looked with a modern exotic goddess from a distant continent.

When she saw him looking her way, she got up from her seat. She walked like a proverbial feline with all its grace. She approached his table and warmed him with her casual smile.

"Hello, there," she said in a pleasant voice that reminded Luke of a woman more mature for her age. "Uh, this seat's not taken is it?"

"Of course not," Luke said.

"I see you got my order for you." She pointed at the steaming white cup.

"I did. Thank you. I normally don't expect ladies to do these things."

"Well, times of changed, handsome." She sucked in her lips in a playfully way as if she knew she would blurt out something outrageous. "Anyway. I notice you come here often."

"Yes. I come here to relax when things get crazy with my brother and his girlfriend." He already pretended not to notice her compliment. "What's your name, ma'am?"

"Ma'am? Come on, I can't be that old. But, I'm Marlane."

"I'm Luke. It's nice to meet you."

"Same her, Luke."

The two talked for a couple of minutes and both have a few things in common. Especially about both growing up without parents both remembered with a little bit of tension, but quickly changed the subject.

"You're an interesting guy, Luke. You're charming, intelligent. Something I don't normally find with guys in this town."

"Actually," Luke started to add. "I'm not really from around here. I've only been here for almost a month."

"That's okay. I don't care where you came from anyway." When Marlane said that, Luke was not sure if that was a good sign. He was starting to like her and he was already worried when she got to know him too well. "We should get together sometime. Here." Marlane started scribbling something down on a napkin. "That's my number. I'm heading out, so give me a call . . ."

All of a sudden, Marlane went silent. And her gazed went wild over his shoulder.

"Marlane," Luke said. "What's wrong?"

"Oh," she came back. "I'm sorry. I have to get going. I'm meeting some friends." She sounded nervous. "See ya." Her graceful stride became a quick dash.

Luke was puzzled as to why she just reacted like that when he felt his body drove into that sensation again. Luke knew what the feeling was. Turning around and looking out into a small crowd, he thought he sensed someone there. A familiar person. His sensation turned into a feeling of anger, like the one that surfaces when someone thinks of a person they hate. The brightest of all stood out of the dark clothed group. Blonde hair, eyes of many spectacles, a half-naked presence. Could it be him? Looking harder it did appear to be Doc standing there, waiting.

Luke immediately stepped up and away when more people came by, he did not want a confrontation with Doc now. More people came and clouded the area as he predicted and sped out of the café as fast as he was known for.

He was not worried; he knew he would get there before it got dark out. Luke left the door a jar slightly as he rushed inside and found Jan slouching on the couch without Shinny.

"Jan," he blurted and panted out.

Jan jerked his head. "What? I'm right here!"

"Where's Shinny?"

"Right here," Shinny called from behind Luke as he also muttered "Jesus" from her surprise entrance.

"At least you guys are here safe," he said as that confused the two.

"What are you talking about," Shinny asked.

"I just saw him. And you know who I'm talking, Jan."

"Uh. No. Unless we both landed on our fuckin' heads."

Luke shot him an extreme look of ire, but went back to what he was saying.

"I mean I saw _him_. Shinny, remember when you asked me who Doc was?"

"Yeah," she answered.

"What're you worrying about, bro? I got it covered. And I was about to . . ."

"Look. I know what I saw. I was talking to talking to someone I met. And she walked because even _she_ wouldn't be near him."

"Wait, wait," Jan interrupted. "You were talkin' to a _girl_? You can't be fuckin' serious. You got your own bit. . ."

"That's not what I meant," Luke roared before he Jan spelled it out. "I'm sorry, but we got a serious problem on our hands and we need to get the hell of out here before he gets here!"

"So, this Doc is here? In town?" Shinny wanted to belief Luke, but she was keeping down her fears so that it would not surface. "Where will we go then?"

"Don't matter, babe," Jan said getting up.

"It _does matter_. Out of all of us here, you're the only one with these 'chips' in your head, just liked we talked about."

Jan put his arm behind his back to show uneasiness. "Actually, Shin. I haven't heard squat from there in days. Don't ask me why. It's not like that shitty chip went inside you or anything."

Just as Luke turned to face Shinny, so did Jan as he realized not only the truth, but also that he actually right. Instead of fear, Shinny felt uncomfortable with the brothers staring at her like they never seen her before.

"Wait, ya think . . . That thing . . ." But she never finished.

_Der Doktor Is In_

The forgotten door revealed the long lost presence of Doc. There were no signs of bloodstains on his lab coat, as if indicating he brought extra to make a fresher appearance. His arms hung low and powerful as his shoulders spread, making him look taller than usual. Shinny's lips drew into small, flat "o" of an oval. The dark shadow from her dreams illuminated into reality, but her fear did not flee. He shockingly looked similar to Luke, but to her, he carried himself as a gruesome charismatic man.

"My dear," The Doctor greeted. "My invention is _not_ to be referred to as a 'thing'." His accent pinched her back, forcing her arms to grab hold of her stomach in an attempt of protection. She sidestepped back, hoping to protect herself further behind her boyfriend. With an arm at long length, Doc grabbed Shinny with his left arm before she made it through. She cried out and found herself caught around his arm, her nose hinted at ghastly chemicals, earth and dried blood.

"Not so fast there. You're just what I've been looking for now that you know 'our' secrets."

Jan moved his older brother out of the way just as Doc was pulling himself and Shinny toward the door.

He screamed out, "You fuckin' son ava. . ." But he was cut short when Doc's right fist slammed on his cheek and Jan collided with the adjacent wall, shaking the picture frames on the wall as he leaned on it for support.

"How odd of you to risk your life for a human," Doc remarked before he finally stepped out, grinning back. Luke rushed to Jan's side, but he motioned something.

"Get her, bro. I'll be fine."

"But you . . ."

Jan grabbed a chunk of Luke's hair and pulled him closer to his face.

"I said go fuckin' get her! Before he starts doing fuck knows what."

He let go in order for Luke to leave, remembering that Shinny's life was more important than a fallen brother was. He made his way a few feet from the front door when he found Doc. He was standing a little far away from Luke, but he remained where he was as if he wanted to stay. Luke could still see him grinning like bundled thorns.

"Doc, I'll get right to the point! You let go of Shinny right now! She has nothing to do with this!"

From where Luke stood, he could see Doc taking a quick look at Shinny. She had a look of terror as she miserably held onto his arms, wanting to loosen his grip but could not.

"A sweet little fraulein isn't she?" Doc looked back at his nephew. "You really trusted her, especially when she was hearing too much . . ."

"Shut up!" Luke's words echoed in the quiet forest.

Doc became awe struck by this as his evil grin faded away, but he still kept his composure. Unaware of the victim in his grasp, Shinny's right arm made her way down his abdomen. She clenched her fist with all her strength left and rammed it, jabbed into his stomach as hard as a hammer blow. Doc grunted in pain as his arm loosened from her neck and fell to clasp around his stomach. Shinny finished with an elbow jab into his chest that sent him knocking backwards to the ground. She ran to meet with Luke, a triumphant smile formed on her face as she breathed lightly. Luke could stare in awe.

"Shinny," he asked dumbfounded. "Where did you learn to do that?"

Shinny saw her boyfriend hanging on by the doorframe, watching the whole spectacle that went on. "I got it from him," she pointed at Jan.

She let out a giggle as Jan grin back at her, slinking like a wounded soldier to meet the rest. She was still smiling when Jan, in a rare sensitive move, tightly hugged Shinny, either to fully embrace the girl he came to love and risked his life for or pass out and lean on something else besides walls and doors. It did not matter to Shinny at the moment.

Then, another sound of laughter filled their ears. Doc was already lifting himself up off the ground by his arms, laughing manically as he got to his feet.

"But they are some things the fraulein hasn't learned," Doc said as he continued from where he was interrupted. "Otherwise . . ." As Doc stood up to his full height; it was present that he seemed taller than before. "She would have found out about my secret plan further." It was now clear that Doc was getting taller. He was 10 feet and growing further, expanding in a way that Luke could never foresee in the mad man. Doc was already a master in gaining height, continuing to grow into a 30-foot man, conducting his body in a perfect straight posture as he grew into 40, then 50, expanding over the trees that anyone could measure with their eyes.

The three there stood in shock, but continued to watch the monstrosity take place. Shinny was more in awe than fear, but she hung tighter to Jan when the thought of her nightmare came to mind. Luke stood in astonish and Jan's face was pasted with an "Oh shit!" stunned look. Bigger and bigger Doc became in physical size, Luke saw him stop at 100 feet. He now saw the way his friends saw him, a large mass of a human being as Doc looked down on them like one of his prized laboratory rats, ready for experimentation. He was still laughing, but the sound vibrated below like a dark echo. His lab coat fluttered a little and sent out a hidden chill.

Luke was the only one brave enough to step forward and stare up and up at the giant, showing no fear in his eyes.

"You guys get out of here," Luke called over his shoulder. The two fled without argument. Doc saw them making their escape and went to reach for them, but Luke proved too fast for him. He grabbed his wrist before even a gloved finger touched them, incorporating his super speed to make himself grow faster in a daring, quick move to save his friends. He stared eye to eye at the man he had even more contempt for.

"Nice to see even have something in common," Luke sarcastically remarked. Doc flicked away Luke's grip and pushed the clips of his glasses up. This surprised Luke since the force was very strong. He always thought of Doc as a weakling and a coward when it came to fighting.

"What better to show you how to fight, then? But you know why I'm here."

"Has Major sent out our death warrants?"

"More like the welcoming committee." Doc moved closer to Luke, but Luke was already on guard. Before he could defend himself, Doc launch a surprise punch that sent Luke sprawling backwards, payback for sending his uncle the same way. When Luke turned his head in a dizzying manner, Doc was already on top of him, his hands clasped around his wrist. He struggled but could not get himself free.

"You . . . Are not going to get the better of me because you're younger and better."

"What are you talking about," Luke spattered, still struggling to get up.

"If you only knew how Millennium is taking your 'victory'. _I _was the one responsible for who you are and I'll take _my_ victory over you and expose you for the overgrown brat you are and your idiotic brother!"

Luke was not aware that his old allegiance was cheering for him, let alone that Doc would be jealousy over something like that. Instead of struggling further, he let his anger come; he refused to let this so-called family member talk to him or Jan like that. He was already free from his insane grasp and now became to feel full-blown rage when someone cannot stay down and be glad that he was gone. His muscles were on fire and his wrists slowly overcame the hold of Doc's technical and violent hands. They moved away like a tree quietly uprooting from the ground. He placed his feet where Shinny's hard blow hit Doc before and kicked him off, flying off and crashing into a couple of adjacent trees as his large body popped and cracked the trees out of place. A lone arbor pinched his shoulder that felt like a child's toy stick.

"Do you think the Major will approve of what you did when he finds out," Luke started to roar. "Or will he ignore the fact that you _took off_ with Joleen and did not tell anyone where you were going? Knowing the Major, I think not. He may not trust you after this stunt . . . And don't give me that look! Like you don't know. That fraulein you tried to kidnap _knows_ _everything you said_. She over heard every little thing you were saying. Don't ask me how she knew, but she's not as dumb as you think she is." His intense speech intensified his growth; he already towered over Doc more so as he still sat on the ground. Luke's mind raced with thoughts of ways of killing the doctor, to destroy everything that Doc held close. He was over 150 feet when images of him ripping his arms off and out like a bird's wing. "You have no idea how much I despise you, Doc. And what you almost did just proves that! And so that you fully understand, I do care about her. And so does Jan. And we don't care that she's a human! The Valentine Brothers are through with Millennium!"

"Bravo," Doc muttered.

"What was that," Luke hollered, take aback by the even louder voice that came from him. He suddenly realized how much bigger he became. Looking down he saw Shinny's house was no bigger than his foot. One fatal move and part of the house would succumb to his step. Doc finally stood up and clapped without meaning, but he knew how the towering Valentine was making him really feel.

"You would have been wonderful. You see, it would have been an easy decision to use Jan to attack Hellsing. He had anger to motivate him while you rather be firm and calm." He bravely stepped forward until he was some distance away from Luke's hip where his head reached. Looking up, "But, I see now how capable you are of rage. No pity. No mercy for the specs below. Being afraid would only stop you. You know yourself that you are better, smarter, faster, stronger, and now bigger. You want this now more than anything. It's a shame you're no longer with us. But, you are still against us. And you know what happens to those who are _against _us."

Ignoring the delight in Doc's voice, Luke wanted to continue to fight.

_I Tell You The Truth, My Love_

The alley way was dark, hidden by the glare of the fading sun by bricks of buildings almost near to each other. Two figures stumbled into the alley as one of them breathed more heavily than the other. In the dank place, Jan wanted a cigarette more than anything. Shinny would not allow it even if he needed it. She knew she would not care when he did, but it was not the time now for a puff. Jan took a quick look over and found the café busy during the early evening hour. It was hard to say if there would be people still left a few minutes or a few hours from now.

"You don't see anything odd, do you," Shinny asked after she let out a sigh.

"Nada," Jan only answered.

"If anything, that'll change. And that fucker will be here soon looking for us." She folded her arms across her chest as if she was cold, but she was warm with terror and dread. "I have no idea who he is . . . but he's here for you, isn't he?" She turned to look at her love and felt a slight anger at him. "So something is _really _inside of me?"

"Look, Shin. I know you're pissed right now," Jan stammered, losing his cool, laid back tone in the process.

"You bet I am. You said you would take care of 'everything'. You said you were no _longer _with these guys! Why the hell do you even want to know what they fucking do all day! And now I'm the fucking honing device?"

"I didn't mean that!" Jan desperately wanted Shinny to understand. "Yeah I did want to know every fuckin' thing they do, but babe, I thought it was because they were after bro. I knew he still had his chip in his head, but . . ."

"_Luke no longer has this 'chip'. _It was removed after he grew and was locked up somewhere. He told me that. He told me everything _you _didn't"

"What?"

"I was scared about the things I was hearing. I thought I was going crazy! I wanted to tell, but I didn't want you go about with this again. We both made promises. Do you know what yours was?"

"Yea," Jan said, even though he was still confused. "That I wasn't gonna do anymore killings. But since when? Luke didn't say anything to me."

"Didn't he? Or were you sto-," She stopped. As angry as she was, he did not want to seen Jan fume over his memory loss when he did anything hard-core.

"I don't know. But still. I guess you say that . . ." He agitated a little. "That I . . . Do. I mean, love you and all."

Shinny loosened her fold and let her arms down.

"This was something I'm not used to doing. Seeing a human as not something to drink from. But I really like you. Before I left, I knew that, but come on I was a slave to them. Doing everything they wanted. I didn't care what I did or what I killed, but you were still damn there. In my head, all the time. You remember our last night, right?"

She was smiling a little when he mentioned that.

"I do. We made love that night. Lost my virginity that night. My parents would never approve either way, but _I_ didn't care. We did it like no other. I almost thought you never came back and I meant it."

"I was hesitant to before," Jan then added.

"Why?"

"Well, when we did get back, I realized what the chips were actually used for."

"What?"

"Well, it's like walkie-talkie's, what you call it here I guess. Whatever goes on where you are, everything is sent to them, any information, what happened and shit."

"You mean anything you know, they know. Anything you do, they know?"

"Yeah. But, those chips also had a life of their fuckin' own. When we did the nasty," he grinned evilly at that, "That thing up and left me and went inside you. That's why I was fuckin' clueless I guess." The smile, any expression of happiness, went away.

"Then, that's how," She trailed off. "I."

She leaped from the wall she leaned on and she clawed and wept on Jan. Her tears muffled but persistent as she buried her face in his shirt. "Janny," she muffled and wailed again.

"I know," Jan sighed.

_Like A Battleground _

Just as Shinny let herself go in Jan, Luke was busy with wanting to knock Doc out of existence. He had to get to them before Doc had the chance to make his move as Shinny's life was still in danger regardless of what Doc really wanted. And he knew what "against us" meant? He would be dead, Jan would be dead, then Shinny and a whole small town in America would come next.

"But," Doc then added after the long silence. "I can give you a choice."

Luke continued to literally look down on him, eyes fixed so that he will be ready for whatever came next.

"Why stay here and see your brother live like a normal person and with a girlfriend when you have nothing. Staying behind and seeing your powers and your potential wasted here. You deserve the respect and what you have been given. You could make our work very easy and go for conquest, all for our leader. And I promise you. _Everything_ will be different."

The last sentence struck Luke like a dull pin. He knew what that _promise _meant. It was the promise when he would take care of them, never harm them, treated them differently from the other Millennium members because they were family, and that he, Luke Valentine, and would never be used. That promise . . . Lost all meaning to him and added an even bigger insult.

Thinking fast and his rage still intact, he said in a mocking, sarcastic voice, "You're right. _Everything _will be different." That was when he picked up Doc like a child, but threw him out of the way, knocking into another small forest patch. Slowly, Luke made his move while he looked where he was stepping to as not to crush Shinny's house. He did regard it as his home now along with Jan. Going into the empty clearing Doc made earlier; he got on his hands and knees and started to shrink down. He guessed his height then at fifteen feet, enough to not be seen easily when Doc was coming through again.

He jumped and whizzed his way through the forest while slowly reducing his height at the same time. He approached Luthern's entertainment district as the café was busy that night and some stores were still open. His speed formed a fast breeze to those sitting outside, assuming that it was a strong cold gust that came and went, unaware that it was caused by a person. Luke would also be unaware of the pounding footfalls that shook the tables and chairs. Customers there felt the motion and felt it repeat, getting louder and stronger every second. There was a gasp and a cry of terror from a man and a woman cried out and pointed at something. To them, Doc was a gigantic form that towered over the average sized buildings. A white demon bent on destruction as the giant from the cover-up came to be seen. Those down below fled in different directions, running for their lives and out of the giant's footsteps.

A few seconds before, Luke almost missed the alleyway when he found the two. Shinny was wrapped around Jan like an over tightened belt. He rushed over to them.

"Glad I found you guys," he said, barely noticeable pants escaping his lips.

"Yeah." Jan pointed down at Shinny. "You mind helping me here."

Luke looked at Shinny and hears her softly sobbing. "Are you okay," he asked.

Shinny finally looked up at him, her face wet and eyes bright. "No." She hid her face again. "I just want this to be over."

"It will, I promise. Now we have to get out here. Doc'll show up any time now."

"Uh, is it a good idea that you're like this?" Jan asked in confusion and did not get point just yet as he realized his brother was regular sized again. "Cause we'll be screwed if neither of us are . . ." His sentence was interrupted when they heard the booming shocks and the ground shaking. Shinny bolted up as she felt the shakes. She freed herself from Jan and started to flee, like she was dreaming again and wanted to get away for real. Then, she stopped as she was covered in shadows. The guys heard her scream just as they arrived. They all looked up to find Doc staring down at them like he did back at Shinny's house. Shinny stood there and cowered, unable to move and run away like she wanted to, her nightmare taking form and the face of the menace appearing to complete the unknown prophecy. Luke and Jan stepped in and shrouded her, allowing her to realize the brothers came to her defense liked she wished.

"Shin, you know the drill. Get the fuck out of here and don't look back," Jan commanded her.

"What about . . ." she started to asked.

"Don't think about us," Luke told her. "Just get help!"

She nodded and started to move. Just as she was about to run, something grabbed around her; it felt warm and deadly. She looked down and saw what looked like folds of lines like on fingertips, but was bleach white. It lifted her up and off the ground and she could look at the frightened expressions of the Valentines as she floated upward. She gasped hoarsely in her throat. Turning her head, she stared face first at the monster-sized man, lenses glinting with invisible light and a grin too wide to think. Oh, God was the horrible cry in her mind and her lips quivered. She was not too scared to even scream.

"You can't go anywhere now, little one," Doc replied in a shattering voice.

Rolling up his sleeve, Jan made an approach forward like he wanted to pound Doc into the ground. Luke took his shoulder and draws it a little back.

"Unless you don't mind being pounded into the pavement, Jan, you won't get any out of it."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Jan glared at him, annoyed that Luke forced him away when he wanted to save Shinny. Luke then told him his attempts to change the size of other objects with success. He whispered it all and made Jan grin in his own delirious fashion when he finished.

"That's a shit load better, Bro." Luke clasped his hands on his younger brother's shoulders and closed his eyes as if to meditate. Time to blow the air out of this windbag Jan thought, as he could already feel the energy and the changes coursing through him. It was like a great high, as if he inhaled some drug in the air that will take him places he never knew before. He could now see over the top of his brother's head. Luke's hands left him, as he started literally looking up to him. Jan did not have the ability to know how tall he was, but he probably did not care. He grew slow at first; Luke's face was below his shoulders, then his chest and then was just below his hands.

Luke stepped back more and more to that he could look at his younger brother's malicious and happy smile as Jan was finally getting his chance to do some giant sized damage. Jan stood about 50 feet tall, but already accelerated that measure. He thought of himself, in an odd way, that he was the secret sided mushroom that provided this natural high.

After taking off from 50 feet, Jan shot up again, but faster. Just when things were getting wild, it started to calm after Jan was equally matched to Doc. Turning around and knocking in a front door frame from an anonymous store with a loud crunch and smash, Jan was ready to fight his giant sized uncle.

Both Doc and Shinny turned around. "Jan," Shinny said with shock and relief.

"Nothing to worry about now, babe," he said to her in an equally vibrating voice. Then he said to Doc, "So. What about it? You ever for the ass-kickin' of your life?"

Doc's first response was standing poise as if Jan was not serious.

"Now, Jan. Is that any way to talk to your uncle?" Doc smiled curtly. "And what about her." He motioned Shinny still trapped in his grasp. "Surely, you wouldn't want anything to happen to her?"

Instead of taking the first shot, Jan could only stare in helplessness.

"If we started fighting, wouldn't something like. . ." Loosening his grip, Shinny easily slid down and out. "This happen?"

She screamed and cried as she fell down to earth. Jan uttered a strong word and made a mad slide. His elongated right arm reached out as the tiny girl landed in his rough hands, his large and long fingers clasped her and held her tight enough. Without warning, another leg knocked against his ankle and swooped it from the ground. His arm smack landed on the hard cement street as his clenched hand curled up, protecting Shinny from any impact. A crunch and flesh scratch was heard; Jan could immediately feel the pain in his shoulder as it ran down his arm. The bones cracked and his back snuggled against maliciously indented building fronts, tiny specks of dirt and glass litter all over.

Doc stood where Jan did, looking down at him in his own version of pity.

"You've gone soft, boy," He only quipped and moved away.

Shinny's body stood limp after Jan took a fall, but slowly she regained herself and turned to look at Jan. His eyes were slits and she could hear the sound of moaning, murmuring in pain.

"Janny," she cried. "Janny!"

Jan managed to open his eyes again. He failed to smile, but his voice tweaked with excitement.

"Oh my God. Are you alright!"

"Yeah," Jan mustered. "I gave you my surprise, didn't I?"

Shinny knew what he was saying. The conversation that one morning when he and Luke came to stay with her. Knowing this, it put a smile on her face.

Luke was now alone to face Doc. The only thing and easiest for him to do was grow and fight him, but he knew better than that. He did not want anything else in the way and that meant the nearby buildings, the entire district. He thought quickly of what else he could do as Doc "slowly" approached him. He did move slowly, but he was nearer still. Luke "quickly" rushed away just as Doc's large hand slammed on the road. The area now a crumbled spot that would make a pothole look jealous. Angered, Doc heard a whistle and turned to where it was. Luke stood on one of the building's roofs, his hands in his shirt pockets casually. Doc reached for him, but Luke moved away before he would be trapped under his fingertips. Angered again, he tried to follow Luke with his eyes.

An ID displaying Doc's name, occupation and security number for Millennium was pinned on the left arm of his lab coat, below the tip of the shoulder. It was there that Luke held on, his face about the size of the picture of Doc's head. Quickly, Luke climbed over the plastic rim and grabbed onto the coat fabric. Knowing the smell of chemicals would be stronger and immobilizing to his tiny nose, Luke covered his mouth with his zipped inner shirt and continued.

Another idea he scrambled for would be to how to immobilize Doc in some way. If he still had his gun, it would not leave a wound big enough to bleed. Right then, he could only use something else. He pulled out from his pocket a glass vial: it was the GH: 51LV formula, the remaining element he and Jan took with them and as well as a formulated version of his excess growth hormones from the blood samples. Even if they used for whatever their hearts desired, they also ran the risk of having it stolen from them and Doc would have looked for it when given the chance. The vial firmly in his hands, Luke tossed it over and it soared far away.

Shinny was the one who heard glass shattering. She and Jan then looked over to find a yellow liquid smeared between a building crack and connecting to the sidewalk. Shinny tried to eye where it flew from and nodded Jan in her gaze when she saw from afar Luke waving, trying to get their attention. With his good arm available, Jan pulled himself up and leaned hid hand on a roof edge, a good distance away from Doc and safe enough to place Shinny on as he did so.

"Are you going to be okay," Shinny asked.

"I don't have a choice right now. Someone got to look out for little bro."

Jan painfully left her side and flexed the fingers of his good hands, hoping joints and bones are still in place. Shinny clasped her hands in pray pose, her eyes open and pleading like a soldier's wife. In her life, Luke and Jan Valentine were doing everything for her. She never cared about a conflict to serious as this and really wished for it to end. But when something showed up in her cornered vision, she looked over and spotted what looked like a burly militia locking and loading a long gun. It looked like a sniper gun, one used to take out something from a distance below, but was aimed and ready to fire close by.

She ran to the edge of the roof extremely fast, grasping on before she fell over, shouting, "LOOK OUT," as loud as she could. The gun already fired, but the boys heard her cry and the firing shot. It headed in Jan's direction and he quickly moved away. Little realizing that Doc was next in line as a sharp shrapnel bullet dug into his sleeve and digging further into his skin and gushing blood through the hole and under the absorbing fabric. Doc dropped to his knees, his right hand was over the wound and he tightened it to stop some of the bleeding as he clenched his teeth to suppress any paining sound.

A lone index finger from Luke's right hand pointed on Doc's forehead as Doc looked up and saw his nephew, 100 feet tall again, but aiming for his head like Luke was placing a curse.

"What will you do now . . .?" Doc slowly asked him.

"I will show you what I have been taught. Without any weapons, this finger will pierce through your head and what will come out of other side will be the blood and the brain matter that has _fueled you _for as long as I can remember. I have no gun of my own, but I am willing to let this be the gun _and _the bullet.

"But I will give you a choice. Surrender and admit defeat to us or die trying to leave. You are not the only one who can make gambles out of choices."

Doc's eyes fixated on the young man who has grown in many ways and schemes. "I see. But what will you do when the choice is gambled?"

Luke blinked and furrowed his eyes in confusion. The gunman on the roof readies again. Shinny screams out. Luke wanted to take his eyes off. Jan looked for him instead, just as he caught a glimpse of the gun, smoking out the bullet that aimed not where he was or where Luke was, but at Shinny.

Shinny's shoulders moved along with her head. Only the hot bullet slipped across her temple, but dug and scratched into the corner of her head and a clump of hair. She swings all of her arms onto the wound like her arms were one and held onto her head as she cried in agony, her arms caking blood and running down to her clothes. Her pains came in sharp pulses, yelping in one and "aahing" in another.

With his good arm again, Jan immediately swung at the gunman on the roof. A boom and a crackle came under his limb. Removing it, it appeared that there was no sign of anything left. Uncaring of even the simplest act of violence, Jan rushed to the building Shinny stood on. Luke pursued him too, uncaring and ignoring Doc.

Both of the brothers looked at her for a second and Luke gingerly picked Shinny up by his thumb and index finger and placing her slowly on his palm. Lying on the smooth glove and covered in a warm environment, Shinny looked up one final time at the scared and horrified face of the guys. She wanted to smile so badly, her head hurt. She hoped to express it somehow, a silent way of saying thanks, her gratitude for everything when all she did was take in some strangers for nothing. It would make someone else annoyed if in her situation, angry even, but she did not care. She could tell Jan was worried the most. And Luke, he stared at him like he never knew him. Almost like, he never knew this side of his sibling.

All she could remember next was the blaring sirens, Luke mentioning something about the hospital, embraced onto the hand of her lover, and staying away from the army tanks. There was a gasp and she closed her eyes.

When Luke told his brother to get to the hospital, he turned back to Doc who would still be on his knees. Except there was nothing on the ground.

Joleen stood against the helicopter parked outside of town. She lit a new cigarette after she chugged the gun into small storage box inside. She was thinking about how the Valentines worked together during that heated moment. Even though it was all for a human girl that drove them away. Given another moment and she would have been slammed into a bloody crepe by Jan.

A few minutes later, the downtrodden Doc stumbled his way back. Without any thought or control, he was slowly shrinking back to normal, his thought only on treating the wound as quickly as possible. He stood about 15 feet tall when he was 300 feet away from Joleen and soon shrunk past ten. Collapsing on his knees, he then returned to normal.

Joleen stepped up and picked him up like she was doing a boring chore and escorted him to the copter.

"So this is why you never like to fight," Joleen quipped as a gesture of reminding him about something.

"Halt den Mund," Doc answered quietly.

Joleen prepared for take off when they were settled in. The bars left the ground while Doc applied bactitracin cream and gauze bandages. The bullet fell out when he started shrinking before leaving Luke behind, but he would have to do more later back at the base. The helicopter chipped and removed itself off the ground. It levitated further upward, leaving the grass behind and departing the little town. Cocking her head a little back, she knew she could not stare directly eye-to-eye to Doc.

"Sorry about shooting you back there, Doc," she said blankly. "Stupid little bitch messed up my shot. But you got admit, she's a real firecracker if I understand it right. I can see why you were interested in her."

She could have talk endlessly for the remainder of the trip back, but Doc completely ignored her as his thoughts occupied all space. He remembered how he was right. That the Valentine Brothers would slip away from a group like Millennium. No one could ever do such a thing for as long as he remembered. When he removed the Freak Chip from Luke and ignored how resourceful Jan was capable of, he should have realized he longer had control over them. Even enlarging himself to match wits with Luke failed miserably. As the night continued on, when their next initial stop would be a private cargo lot to refuel enough for the trip across to South America, the only he can do is forget everything that happened. Act as if he never adopted the Valentines; never saw them enter the organization, wiped off from the face of existence. Despite what Luke assumed, the Major will not find out this little setback and continue with everything as planned before. He knew at least "someone" appreciates his ideas; maybe he could pull a few strings of his own and get the growth formula some use.

_Epilogue_

As Doc thought, everything did go as planned. Despite having "lost" touch with Luke and Jan Valentine, the invasion on the Hellsing Manor was led by Joleen Britz. She managed to escape before she would have been caught and interrogated. Later on, a shady vampire lead more Freaks on an attack on the Tower of London, before he succumbed to Alucard, the infamous Hellsing vampire.

Back at the Valentine Brother's new home, everything was looking bleak. Shinny underwent emergency surgery to repair the wound on her head and regain the blood she lost before any serious damage was done. The surgeons were successful in removing what was thought to be the bullet, but the remaining Freak Chip that nestled and lodged in her mind. The leading surgeon diagnosed the chip as a fatty form of cancer, but before closer inspection later on, the chip disappeared in a heap of black, muddy ash.

Hour after hour, Shinny was bumped from critical condition to stable, as she laid in bed, sighing and comfortable in her sleep. Inside the room, Jan was seated closet to her bedside with Luke adjacent in the next, his elbow resting on his lap, lost in his own thoughts. Jan's hand was wrapped around the needle hand of his love, sleeping away the night.

"She'll be ok, right bro," Jan asked without turning away. His voice jumpy and his throat felt a lump. Luke turned to the back of his brother's head.

He said, reassuringly, "I have no doubt that she'll be okay. We were lucky we made it here so that the doctors could do what they had to."

Jan then turned to face Luke, his smile trying to return. "When you're striking four miles a fuckin' minute, you don't call it fuckin' luck." He referred to when Jan was still 100 feet tall and tried to be as hidden when he arrived before Luke did, he would referred it as luck that he was not spotted. "What's gonna happen now? What about ole Doc boy?"

"I don't think Doc will think twice about coming after us again."

"Yeah. Kicked his ass good!" He practically screamed his joy out before Luke tried to quiet him down. He pointed that the nurse was busy outside the door. "Gee, you're no fun!"

On the hospital bed, there was a stirring and a slight moan. Shinny shifted and pucked in her lips before opening her eyes. She moaned again and tried to look at the figure in front of her. "Mm . . .Janny," she purred painfully.

"Shinny!" Jan cried and moved in closer, hoping she would repel in shock.

"Janny," she said softly as put her left hand against his cheek. "You're here."

"I know . . ."

"But _here _here," she annunciated. "You're back to normal. So much for your surprise . . ."

Jan let loose and clasped around her, hugging her like a pillow in sleep.

"Oh," Shinny could only say. "I'm glad . . . To see you too." Her tears dripped down his hair as her face nuzzled in his head. She then saw Luke happy face and could not help but smile back and cry more.

"Babe. Babe. What's with the water works?" Jan saw her eyes bright and watery.

"I'm just happy, you big goof!" She grabbed his cap before he could protect it. "You have no idea how happy I am." Her hand crumbled the cap and she tossed it at his chest. "So, now what? Any chance of everything getting back to normal?"

Flattening his cap, he put it back on his equally unflattened head of hair.

"Normal is sh . . No chance in hell?"

Shinny smiled again as her expression grew wider.

"I didn't think damn so." She cried out, jumping both of the guys while the nurse opened the door and looked in. All three sat there innocently as she shrugged an annoyance and closed the door.

Shinny looked back at Luke, hoping to hear what he had to say.

"What do you think, Luke? Things'll be different now?"

Luke, after the stress and the mayhem behind them, he could have said everything to justify in his own way what Jan blurted out. But, he smiled back instead.

THE END

_Halt den Mund! Shut up! (Correct me if I'm wrong on how it's pronounced)_


End file.
